Here Comes The Night
by Spiney
Summary: [AU][Rewrite of Systematic Crossing]- Ichigo was brought up in the Soul Society by his older brother, Sosuke Aizen. He is constantly under watch and protected for reasons he has yet to discover. In a chance event, Ichigo learns his place in the world will either bring about its destruction or save it. [No pairings yet]
1. The Greatest Challenge of the Day

******(UPDATE: 6/24/13):Normally I don't put updates on the top b/c I don't like to distract from the story...BUT, this is rather important. This chapter was beta read (if that's a word) by DawnieWrites! So thank you! :)  
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* * *

******The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution at which has to start with each one of us?**  


~Dorothy Day

**Chapter One**

"I don't understand," Ichigo was sitting on the floor of his brother's office, playing with a set of toys. Sosuke yawned, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes, turning his head down at Ichigo.

"What do you not understand?" he asked.

"How come I'm the only human in the soul society?"

"What kind of question is that to ask at this hour," Sosuke almost laughed. His day had been exhausting, filled with the chaos of having to solve several disputes within the division, assigning a dozen new missions and teaching a nearly full class at the Shino Academy. All the while having to take his little brother, Ichigo, with him wherever he went added another stress to his busy schedule. He would like to find a suitable babysitter for the boy but he was not one to disobey the Captain-Commander, who was very paranoid about Ichigo's safety.

"Well, that's because everyone else is either born here or died in the mortal world, and are now in their afterlife," he explained.

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows, "I know that, Sosuke. I'm six now. But why aren't there any other humans here?"

"Because Ichigo, you came here under very special circumstances."

"What do you mean?"

Sosuke frowned, "Ichigo, is this about something else?"

"Um, well…," Ichigo looked downcast and he hunched his shoulders.

"What are you trying to ask me?"

"I…If I'm the only human here, how did I get here?"

Sosuke had not been expecting this. He sighed, turning in his seat and giving Ichigo an almost sympathetic look.

"Ichigo, I am afraid that question will have to be answered fully when you are a little older. But to satisfy your curiosity, I will tell you this. Your mother and father were very brave people and unfortunately, they gave their lives for you. You ended up here because of that reason. You are a very special little boy."

"Special?"

"Yes and you must be protected until you grow up. And when that happens , I will tell you everything you want to know."

Ichigo nodded not fully registering what he was told in his young, muddled mind. He went back to playing, occasionally glancing up at Sosuke, whose full attention had gone back to his work. His entire world changed after that moment. Ichigo was not just an ordinary boy. He was special—different, precious, fragile. These words molded his character and how others treated him. He was forced to grow up in a world where he was told what to do, when to do it and who he was supposed to be.

And Ichigo would grow to resent it.

* * *

Ichigo sat down on one of the benches scattered around the sixth division training grounds. It was supposed to be a pretty place, with blooming flowers and cherry blossom trees that lined the edges of six large dirt patches. Stone pathways were carved into the grass and led to the entrances of the captain's office, the indoor dojo and the common area. He placed his hands behind his head and leaned back on the wall behind him.

He never understood why his captain had been bothered to make this area so decorative. Ichigo remembered visiting the 11th division and saw that their training area was just a one large open field. That was much more practical when you were practicing with a sword. But here in the sixth division, the captain must have thought people were sight-seeing! The reality was that no one ever bothered to look at plants-all they did was rot away in the sun.

Ichigo thought that it had something to do with how arrogant Byakuya Kuchiki was. He was a noble, who was so used to being surrounded by extravagance that he had a subconscious need to reflect his obvious ego. From the way he spoke to his subordinates with short, curt replies, to the way that he ate his food with extreme delicacy, to the way he elegantly strode about the division, proved to Ichigo that he was right. It was weird he alone was the only one who noticed the captain's obvious superiority complex. Everyone else just thought he was aloof. Ichigo grumbled. He hated the stupid captain almost as much as he hated those stupid plants.

Ichigo took in a deep breath, plucking a few cherry leaves that had fallen onto the bench and throwing them into the air. He watched with little interest as a slight breeze came rolling over him and the leaves swirled around in circular patterns.

He yawned. Damn, he was bored.

He felt his eyelids starting to droop when, quite suddenly, the sound of two large doors slamming open caught awoke him. He heard two male voices coming from the dojo. He lifted himself to the edge of the bench, leaning forward as if he were a bird about to take flight. He saw the vice-captain, Renji, walking with another shinigami who Ichigo did not know. He watched them walk down the stone pathway, heading towards the common area, when Renji spotted Ichigo and beckoned to him.

"Ichigo, get up. I got work for you."

Curious, Ichigo got up and made his way toward them. "Work for me? Wow, I thought my brother banned me from doing anything that would 'overexert myself'.

Renji rolled his eyes, "Your brother isn't here to make any judgment on that."

Ichigo huffed, looking at the pair before him. Abarai Renji was a tall, muscular man with long red hair pulled back into a pony tail. He had a rough look about him that most people within his division did not possess. The other was a boy who was quite the opposite of Renji; he was stalky, short with a lean frame. Black hair shaped his round face and he looked at Ichigo in both awe and fear.

"Well, what do you want," Ichigo said.

"This is Jun, he's a new member of the squad," Renji replied. "He shows a lot of promise but I think his sword skills aren't up to par with the rest of the new members."

Ichigo raised his eyebrows, "How did he become a shinigami if he sucks at something so basic?"

"Uh, I was…the top…um…" the boy mumbled under his breath.

Ichigo raised his eyebrows at the kid. He was not surprised by the boy's reaction. In the month since he had been transferred to the squad, Ichigo had never tried to become friendly with anyone. He had deduced within the first week of his arrival that he could hardly stand them. Most of the sixth division members seemed to be from the wealthier sections of the soul society, where life was much easier. This carefree nature carried over with them into the academy. Each of them possessed? had? an innocent demeanor and seemed to think being a shinigami was all fun and games. He wouldn't be surprised if some of them still twitched at the sight of blood.

"Okay, so what you want me to fight him or something?" Ichigo asked.

"Actually, yes, I do. I know you are very good with the sword and I think if Jun fights someone like you, he can improve," Renji handed Ichigo one of the wooden swords.

Ichigo was surprised, but felt excitement swelling up inside of him. He was actually going to get to fight? His normal routine consisted of just lounging around the division waiting for someone to give him some busy work. Getting to practice with his sword was only done under the watchful eyes of his brother. For a single second, Ichigo thought he should mention this to Renji, but the thought was quickly shoved away.

"Yeah, okay," he gripped the sword and pulled it away quickly, as if worried Renji would change his mind.

Renji gave the other one to Jun, who looked horrified that he was going to actually fight him. Ichigo tried not to pay attention to his reaction as he situated himself on the nearest dirt patch. The boy had probably heard about all the rumors surrounding Ichigo's horrible reputation within the soul society.

"Jun, you need to pace yourself. You have really clumsy with your footwork," he grimaced. "And Ichigo, do me a favor and try not to be so hot-headed?"

Ichigo ignored his comment and took his stance, his attention on the kid. Jun gripped the end of his sword as Ichigo lowered his own.

Renji watched the duel unfold between him, his focus more on Ichigo than Jun. He was trying to get Ichigo to become more involved in the squad, but his attempts at friendship were all for naught. He had heard Ichigo had transferred from three different divisions due to disciplinary issues, and before Ichigo had arrived, he had been warned of his hot-headed and aggressive nature. Now that he had been here for quite some time, Renji was unsure just how true these rumors were. The first week or so, Ichigo had displayed some signs of anger but he mostly kept to himself.

Ichigo blocked a rather clumsy swing from Jun and easily parried another blow. He looked bored by the fight, but underneath his low lidded eyes, Renji thought he could see a spark. His footwork and hand motions with the sword were flawless. He thought Ichigo was having more fun than he had in a long time.

"Abarai, what is he doing?" Renji turned around to see his captain joining him. A tall man with long black hair, blue eyes and a long, thin face, Captain Kuchiki was considered the object of many girls' affection in the Soul Society.

"Helping the kid improve his swordwork," he explained.

"I am not talking about the new recruit. Why are you allowing Aizen to fight him?"

"He was sitting around doing nothing. I thought I would put him to work."

"I hope it's nothing too laborious for him, Captain Aizen will be displeased if his brother returns to him in anything less than perfect shape," Renji noted the slight sarcasm in the captain's voice.

"Nah, I think—"

There was a loud thud and Ichigo shouted, "If I were a hollow, do you honestly think I am going to pat your head and let you go on merry little way! God damn kid, grow a backbone!" Frustrated, Ichigo threw the wooden sword to the ground.

"Ichigo, that's quite enough," Ichigo grimaced and turned his head, catching sight of the captain standing with the vice-captain.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had to make sure nothing happened to your precious head," he replied. "You know I am going to have to report this to your brother."

"Why bother? He probably already knows," Ichigo grumbled.

"I think you've had enough for one day, go home and come back with a better attitude."

"Whatever," he grumbled. "It was a stupid fight anyway."

* * *

Sosuke Aizen had a very productive day. His whole morning had been devoted to welcoming several new members of the fifth division squad; after meeting them and concluding that none of them were especially interesting, he put up his kind front and had them sign some paper work. After they had gone, he went to complete even more paperwork, when he noticed a hell butterfly fluttering in through the window. Sosuke held out his hand, allowing it to land on the back of his fingers. He could feel the little creature's bristles touch his skin as it relayed its message to him.

He tried not to sigh and called out for his vice-captain.

She poked her head inside. "Captain Aizen?"

"Captain Kuchiki needs to see me. Ichigo has been sent home today. Would you see to it he gets home safely?"

"Of course, I'll go now," she replied.

"Thank you and please tell the third seat that he'll be in charge while you and I are gone."

"O-of course, Captain Aizen," she smiled widely.

Sosuke beamed at her.

* * *

Ichigo had pounded through the Soul Society so many times that his feet subconsciously took him to his favorite pathways. He was supposed to be heading home, but it was rare that he ever got to be by himself. He knew the seiretei better than most people, having spent the better part of his childhood exploring every nook and cranny the place had to offer. Well, any place he was allowed to go under the watchful eye of his brother. Ever since he could remember, Ichigo had always been shielded and sheltered by his older sibling, who took such care not to allow him to do activities that he perceived to be strenuous, and to limit his mobility around the Soul Society. Ichigo supposed that at some point, he must have been grateful that Sosuke was such an influential man and was so protective of him.

He was just wandering through a side street when he saw his brother's vice-captain, Momo Hinamori, waiting at the other end. She was a petite woman with black hair and brown eyes and the very sound of her simpering voice made Ichigo want to throw something. She didn't look to pleased to see him either, as she greeted him with a curt hello.

"Shouldn't you be back at the fifth division?" he asked.

"Your brother wanted me escort you back home. I followed your spiritual pressure here."

Ichigo clicked his tongue, "What, I can't walk myself back anymore?"

"He just wants to make sure you're safe."

"Oh yes, we wouldn't want me to dilly-dally and get eaten by a hollow," he scowled. They walked together through the Seireitei in silence. Ichigo thought that he would have made it home much faster had Momo not come - she had chosen to take the long way back.

"You could have cut through that building you know," Ichigo pointed out.

"I could have. Do you want to go that way?" She asked, "you pick, the faster we get back, the sooner I can get back to my duties."

Without question, Ichigo took the lead, forcing Momo to follow his quickening pace. She stayed as close to him as possible, her head turning left to right, forwards and back, a hand on the hilt of her sword. Ichigo never understood why his babysitters kept a look out for danger. Ichigo was strong, even if he was not allowed to show it, and would probably fare much better in a fight than Momo. He frowned, forcing his mind to think about something else.

* * *

"I apologize for his behavior, he can get easily frustrated," Sosuke said. He was sitting in the Byakuya's office, who had just relayed to him the events that had taken place. The office was a large, airy and open room with a wooden desk in the center and large windows that let in natural light.

"For someone who was transferred from three different squads, he's doing surprisingly well here. This is the first time he's ever lashed out at anyone," Byakuya replied, leaning back in his chair.

"I think he's finally learning to mellow out a little."

Byakuya stared at him, "Captain Aizen, it's not my place to say anything but I think we are approaching the situation all wrong. I think if you and the Captain-Commander, actually let Ichigo breathe, he wouldn't be such an issue on the rest of us."

Sosuke blinked, surprised by Byakuya's statement, "That's something for the Captain-Commander to decide."

"Yes, but if he did, he might be of actual use to the squads. As far as I am concerned, he is worthnothing, and wasting my time as he is now. He can't go out on missions or even train with the younger students. You should put him in your division if he has to be so protected."

"Those were my initial thoughts but the Commander thought it is was best for him to step out of his comfort zone."

"Comfort zone? Since when did he have anything remotely less than a comfort zone? You put him into a cocoon."

"You should know that until Ichigo turns sixteen, his safety is of top priority. Until then, we'll just have to follow what the Captain-Commander's wishes are for my brother. Thank you for relaying to me what happened this afternoon," Sosuke stood and left, mulling over Byakuya's statement.

Ichigo was a burden to the rest of the captains, he knew that. What he didn't understand was why they tried to focus the problem on Sosuke and the Commander-Captain. Most of them, maybe reluctantly, treated his brother they exact way he did. What was more pressing for Sosuke however, was not the fact Byakuya was tired of babysitting him, it was how Ichigo still reacted to the situations he was placed in. He still overreacted and become easily frustrated when, by this point in his life, he should be calmer. He can't leave the Soul Society like this...

* * *

Yamamoto's office was nowhere near as glamorous as one might expect from the Head of the Gotei 13 to be. It was a plain, simple room with a desk in the middle, several bookshelves against one wall, and two chairs against the other, and the white walls matched the tone of the bare wood floors. Sosuke didn't really care much for Yamamoto's taste. If there was something he did appreciate, it was the tea kettle placed on the table in between the two chairs.

For such a bright, sunny afternoon, Yamamoto seemed to be in a rather depressing mood, his old wrinkled face lined in worry as he stared absent-mindedly out of his window. Sosuke did not do anything to disturb the sage, and waited for his presence to be made known. It was acknowledged moments later, when Yamamoto said to his subordinate, "Captain Aizen, I was not expecting you to want to see me. What do you wish to speak to about?"

"It's about Ichigo."

"Isn't it always?" he gestured for Sosuke to join the seat next to him.

He graciously sat down and took the tea offered to him. "I don't think Captain Kuchiki is very happy with the way we are treating him."

Yamamoto furrowed his eyebrows, "Is he now? What makes you think such a thing?"

"I spoke to him earlier. He told me that if we removed some of the restrictions placed upon him, he wouldn't be so much trouble. I am wondering if we are doing the right thing by being so protective of him?"

"Strange you should be questioning this after so long. The boy will be sixteen soon, correct?"

"Two weeks the day after tomorrow."

He nodded in satisfaction. "Then, all we have to do is wait, especially now more than ever. If something were to happen to him…"

"Yes, you're correct," Sosuke replied. "But he still doesn't seem ready."

"Sosuke, Ichigo was never going to be the calm, diligent, detached young man, they were hoping for. He's too much like his father. Even if we changed our methods, the result would have been no different."

"I suppose so. I just want him to leave this world happily and not fill with so much angry. That won't be good for anyone."

"He'll be fine as long as he stays safe," Yamamoto said. "What that boy was born to be, it still amazes me, even fifteen years later. I didn't think I would see this happen in my lifetime…but…soon, the boy will understand his role in the world. "

Sosuke listened but did not reply. Yes, it was an amazing feat and something he had not been expecting. If it had not been for this, Sosuke would have never have taken up the role of Ichigo's guardian. He sipped his tea, wondering vaguely as he had done many times before, how his brother's role would affect his own plans.

* * *

Sosuke returned home late that night, surprised to find the house was spotless. His immediate thought was that Ichigo must have had company over, for he never cleaned up after dinner. He shut the door and called out to his brother and received a grunt coming from the patio. Ichigo and he lived in a small two bedroom apartment, which was modest considering Sosuke's high ranking. The bedrooms were situated on opposite ends, with Ichigo's room next to the kitchen and his own by the combined dining and living room. There wasn't much for decoration but a small blue flower vase on top of the bookshelf. Most days it was unfilled, but today there were a few simple white flowers.

"Rukia was here," it was not a question.

"Yeah, she brought us flowers. She says we should try to fill up more often."

"I am assuming she stayed for dinner?" Sosuke leaned against the doorframe. Ichigo was lounging on the cushions, his head propped up by his hand. He looked tired and no longer seemed interested in the book that was open in front of him.

"Yeah, she did. I made tea, it should still be warm if you want some," Ichigo yawned.

"Hm, maybe later, after we discussed what happened with your little duel today."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, "Oh what a surprise, you know I misbehaved today. Well, just get to it, what's my punishment? Sit in the house all day?"

"I don't want to do that Ichigo. I just thought I asked you not to overexert yourself, especially when it comes to fighting. Your power—"

"Comes out in rapid bursts and if I do anything I am not ready for it might harm me," Ichigo finished the sentence for him. "I didn't think sword play counted."

"Yes, and your anger does not allow you to think clearly. Ichigo, I am just trying to protect you. You know that."

"Yes, keeping me confined to the house, making sure I'm always being escorted place to place, training at a snail's pace…you are more than just protecting me."

"Ichigo, we've had this discussion before."

Ichigo flipped onto his back, "Yeah, I know. I'm tired. I was going to go to bed soon. So, let's just discuss this and get it over with."

"I am not going to do anything, Ichigo. You should know how to conduct yourself in public now."

Ichigo was giving his brother a strange look. He stood up, knitting his eyebrows together. He clamped a hand on Sosuke's forehead. "Are you sick?"

"Ichigo," Sosuke raised his eyebrows.

"Did you get a fever or something, bro," Ichigo voice was full of fake concern.

Sosuke laughed, pulling Ichigo's hand away. "No, Ichigo. You're past the age where time outs would have any effect on you."

"What are you talking about? I was punished just last month, remember? You transferred me."

"Perhaps but that was for different reasons."

"Oh yeah? Like what kind?"

"We have also talked about this before Ichigo, remember?"

"Yup, sure do. I think I threw something."

"Yes, you reacted just like a child."

"Well, considering I'm treated like one—"

"Let me correct myself. You reacted like a little kid. But you still need to be looked after."

"Hmph."

"I think you should go to bed now. It is late."

The finality in Sosuke's voice told him this was not a suggestion. Ichigo rolled his eyes and got up, stretching. "There's some rice left too, should be on stove. We didn't save any meat though. Rukia and I were pretty hungry today. Good night."

Sosuke didn't reply, gazing down at the street below. He heard Ichigo shut his bedroom door. Getting up, he prepared his dinner with tea and the leftover rice. He went back to the patio and ate. He didn't know if he did the right thing, letting Ichigo go free without any consequences for his actions. It just seemed so trivial now to do anything about it. In two weeks, the boy would be gone from his life.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

This is my old story called Systematic Crossing that was published under the Pen Name, Presidential Coin. And if you are wondering why I didn't simply use that account…I don't remember which email I used for the account. T_T? (UPDATE:*I actually did recover it but I am going to stick with account still). Anyway, so I am rewriting/reediting the story and publishing it under this name. If want to read the very badly written original, go ahead! This story is going to expand on the ideas I had there. ANY CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS WELCOMED. I am still getting back into writing…so I suck right now. I never consider my work to be done, so u might see I'll add stuff too this or fix mistakes I find. Good? Okay, Good. :) Cho


	2. Progression without Progress

**Update: 6/24/13: Beta read by DawnieWrites :) Thank you!**

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**Discontent is the first necessity of progress.**

~Thomas A. Edison

**Chapter Two**

**Progression**** without Progress**

Ichigo woke up to the morning light slipping through his windows. He opened his eyes for a brief second before groaning, throwing the covers over his head. He was just on the verge of falling asleep again when he heard his door was quietly slip open. In his tired state, it sounded like someone had just thrown a chair across the room.

"Ichigo," he heard his brother's voice and pulled his covers tighter around himself. "Get up."

"Five more minutes…"

"All right. I apologize, Miss. Kuchiki. It seems my brother is not willing to get up and greet you."

Rukia's soft voice lofted in from the living room, "That's okay, Captain Aizen. I'm sorry, I thought he would be up by now."

"Ichigo, it's rude not to greet someone from the noble families, get up," Sosuke whispered before leaving to entertain their guest. "He usually is up by day-break. Would you like some tea?"

Ichigo kicked his blankets off, glaring sideways at the closed door. He rubbed his eyes, standing up and pulling a shirt over his head. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he splashed water onto his face and ran a hand through his untidy hair. It was never to going to be decent even if he combed it. Plus he rather liked the "messy bed look."

He left his bedroom, waving to Rukia before stretching his arms high above his head. He went to the kitchen poured himself some tea, and grabbed a few rolled omelets from the counter. He sat down, taking a huge bite of his food. Sosuke looked rather offended that Ichigo had not bothered to put on something more decent than his pajamas. Rukia, the oh-so-high-noble girl, didn't seem phased in the slightest.

"Ichigo, good morning," she said.

"How are ya?" Ichigo took another mouthful. His brother gave him a rather obvious pointed look.

"I'm fine, I had some extra time on my hands, and I thought you might be home still. Why did you sleep in? You're always up super early."

"I went to sleep late," he confessed.

"You went to bed after I came home, it wasn't that late," Sosuke said.

"I couldn't fall asleep. So, therefore, I went to sleep late," Ichigo glared at his brother.

Sosuke raised his eyebrows, "Ah, I see. Well, I have a lot of work to do today. I'm heading out. Ichigo, stay here until the vice-captain comes to pick you up. It should be around noon."

"Gotcha, ya, bye."

"Thank you for the tea, Captain Aizen," Rukia said.

"You are quite welcome. I hope next time you come, I will be allowed to speak with you. It seems right now my little brother wants to be alone with you," Ichigo looked mortified as Sosuke ruffled his hair and bowed his head to Rukia before he left, locking the front door.

"Either he's the most annoying person in the world or I'm just crazy," Ichigo grumbled.

She smiled, "I couldn't tell you Ichigo."

"You want something? I'm going to get more."

"No," she replied, gripping her tea but not picking it up. She seemed more nervous now that Sosuke had left, her eyes lingering on the clock above the door. "My brother told me about your fight with that Jun boy. "

"He did?"

"Yes, he thinks you have appalling behavior and he does not see why I am friends with you," she refocused her attention back on Ichigo as he sat back down.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, "Glad to know he likes me so much."

Rukia return to staring at the clock. "Big date?"

"Huh?"

"You keep looking at the clock. You okay?"

Rukia watched Ichigo eat his food."Captain Ukitake wants to speak to me."

He gave her a genuine smile, something that was very rare for him. "You don't need to be nervous. He's probably just going to tell you that you've improved."

Her face relaxed. "Maybe. I was hoping I would receive a new assignment."

"Good luck, whatever it is."

"Thanks, Ichigo."

They sat there in silence, occupied by their own thoughts. Ichigo had met Rukia about a year and half ago when he had transferred to the thirteenth squad. She was petite, with black hair at that flipped out at the ends. She looked very delicate, with dark blue eyes, a sloped nose, and rounded face. The reality was, she was a spit-fire, and probably was one of the only people in the entire soul society who could get Ichigo to calm down and give him a good beating at the same time.

"Ichigo, I have to go," she stood up. "Thank your brother for the tea and try not to have another outburst with mine. He might ban me from speaking to such a 'vile creature'."

"I'll try, but I don't think I'm capable of good behavior."

She smirked, "See you."

* * *

Momo was late. She didn't arrive at the apartment until one 'o'clock. Ichigo was reading when he heard her knocking on the door. He shut his book and waited. She knocked again, more fiercely than before, and Ichigo snorted with laughter. He got up and answered the door.

"Wow, Momo, didn't expect you to be late. You're usually so punctual." he teased.

"Why didn't you answer?" she asked, completely out of breath.

"Why are you late?"

"Okay, okay. I was busy, come on. I'll take you over to…where are you going?"

"To the sixth division…"

"Right, okay, come on."

Ichigo, still amused, closed the front door and joined her at the bottom of the stairs. Momo seemed occupied with something, for she didn't nag at Ichigo as she usually did. It was only when they stopped in front the sixth division did she mention to him, "Behave today, please."

"Honestly, one day I make one misstep and you guys act like the world's ending."

She paused, drumming her fingers on her cheek, looking as if she was trying to remember something. "Ah! Captain Aizen wants you to come by the fifth division when you're done. In case you forgot, you have training today."

Ichigo rubbed his neck, "Oh yeah, forgot about that. You going to escort me there or can I walk by myself yet?"

"I wish you would stop saying those kinds of things, Ichigo. Your brother cares about you. He's just trying to make sure you're safe. I have to go. Good luck," she ran off to god knows where.

Ichigo pushed past a pair of double doors and entered into the main part of the division. Just like the courtyards, the sixth division had a certain regal elegance that the other divisions lacked. The main building was grand, two stories high with white posts supporting a gently curved roof. There was also another detached building which housed the squad members. Ichigo had never been inside but he heard they were much nicer than most of the rooms provided by the other divisions. There was also grass, a few trees and flowers, things utterly useless to Ichigo.

He headed into the main building and, once inside, the corridor spilt into three different directions. The paths to the left and right of him were connected, wrapping around the first floor of the building, they provided alternative pathways to the different areas of the division, but no one ever seems to use them. The path directly in front of Ichigo went through the courtyard, which provided a shortcut to the main parts of the building.

He headed towards the courtyard when he stopped when he heard someone say his name. Looking around, he saw the voices were coming from two girls sitting on a bench. They were taking a break from training, wiping sweat from their foreheads and their wooden swords on the ground. Their backs were turned so they couldn't see Ichigo standing there. They must have been tired, because they didn't seem to feel his spiritual pressure either.

"I heard he got into a fight with Jun," said the one with pretty, curly blond hair.

"No idea why he gets such special treatment with such an attitude. That Ichigo is joke," the other said.

"He can't be bad, considering who his brother is."

"Captain Aizen is so nice, hard to believe he's related to such a…a freak."

"He gets to leave early, trained by the captain Aizen, and he acts so ungrateful for all of it. Did you know he got kicked out of three divisions?"

"That's kinda old news, where have you been?"

"It is? Sorry."

The girls laughed, "You're new here, I get it. Yeah, he hasn't done anything worthwhile in a while. I entered the sixth division when he was a little kid. When I met him, he was so well behaved."

"I heard some of the captains adored him when he was a kid. Wonder what happened."

"Maybe that's why he is so spoiled. No wonder he's friends with that girl from the noble family, they—"

Ichigo suddenly realized how angry he was; his hands were clasped so tightly together, that his nails had formed welts in his skin. He unclenched his fists and glared at the pair. What a couple of shallow, stupid girls. He didn't care what they said about him, but to bring Rukia into this was just…

"Are you girls done?" Renji asked, looking annoyed. Ichigo had been so distracted that he hadn't noticed Renji leaving his office.

The girls yelped, "Oh, um…"

"Honestly, do you girls have anything better to do? Quit gossiping and get back to training."

"Um, yes sir!" They said in unison.

"Man, kids…." Renji mumbled. He looked up and saw Ichigo standing in front of him. He didn't care, his thoughts still mulling over what they girls had said. Ichigo looked downcast and turned, taking the longer, safer route to the captain's office.

* * *

Captain Kuchiki punished Ichigo for his tardiness by assigning him the most pathetic job in the soul society—cleaning the dojo. This was a task usually given to one of lower ranking squad members. In other words, the ones that didn't get to see much action. How nice of the captain to give him such a grand responsibility. If he was able to do anything by himself, he wouldn't have been late. He glared down at his dust pile before sweeping up into the bin.

"This is stupid," he grumbled.

"I would have thought you'd be happy to actually be something rather than just sitting around the grounds all day," Ichigo looked up, surprised to see the vice-captain standing at the entrance. He was holding two drinks in his hand. They didn't look like anything the soul society provided, so Ichigo guessed they were from the world of the living.

"Oh, it's you."

Renji noted the unpleasant tone in his voice. "I didn't think it would be such a big deal too let you fight."

"Not really, I'm used to it," Ichigo shrugged.

"I suspected so. Did your brother give you a hard time?"

"No."

"Oh," Renji eyes wandered around the room, "How are you?"

Ichigo stopped sweeping and raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"I just wanted to know if you were okay...there's nothing else to do today."

"Great. How nice to see people are doing what I do on a daily basis."

He took a swig of his drink, "Your sword skills are top notch. Captain Aizen did a good job training you."

"He sure did."

There was an awkward pause, "Look, Ichigo, I know you heard what those girls said."

"Yeah?"

Renji said, "Well, I kinda saw you. You weren't exactly hiding."

Ichigo grimaced. "I'm aware of that, thanks. Those girls were stupid though, they didn't feel my spiritual pressure."

"I wouldn't say they were the brightest pair."

"Look, thanks for telling them to shut up."

"Oh, right. No problem."

"I wanted to punch them."

"Why didn't you?"

"And add more fuel to the fire? People say stupid shit about me all time. I don't care, but Rukia doesn't need to be dragged into it."

"I agree with you there. Well, I'm going to let you get back to work," he threw the other drink towards Ichigo and instinctively, he caught it with his free hand. "Nice reflexives."

* * *

"Ichigo, breath," Sosuke was standing in the fifth division training room with Ichigo. It was spacious, with cream colored walls and a blue trim. The room did not look much different from the one in the sixth. The only real difference was the fifth division emblem plastered on the wall above the front door. Even though it was late, there were usually a few people in here practicing. Tonight, however, no one was there. It was an almost unspoken rule that no one should disturb Ichigo and Sosuke during their training sessions.

"I don't want too," Ichigo looked furious.

Sosuke stepped closer to his brother, "You're angry."

"Because we've been doing the same move over and over again! I am getting sick of it. I know how to do it."

Sosuke sighed, "You need to control your emotions."

"I want to learn something new," he said through grit teeth.

A few tense seconds passed, where all they did was stare at each other. Sosuke blinked and nodded, "All right, we're done for tonight."

Ichigo gaped. "We've only been at it for an hour!"

"I refuse to train you when you won't listen to me," he replied, pulling on his captain's garb.

Ichigo panicked. He knew this was only his brother trying to get him to obey, but his stubbornness was preventing him from giving into his brother's demands. At the same time, he realized that his training sessions were the only times he ever got to use to his powers. Was it worth fighting with his brother?

"Okay! Okay," Ichigo stopped, closed his eyes and breathed. It was forced, but his attempt was at least making his brother stay.

He stood there with his back to Ichigo, listening to him breathing. Ichigo continued, feeling his frustration slowly dwindle. He was still angry but at least now, he could control his temper better.

"Thank you, Ichigo," he turned back around and smiled at his brother. He received a glower in return, "Now repeat."

Ichigo repeated the hado, Sho. He produced a very weak wave and the box in front of him moved barely a foot. It wasn't like how Sosuke had showed him how to do it. He could make the box go far. Ichigo lowered his eyelids, shook his hands and tried again. It was the same result.

"My hado sucks."

"It's not horrible, mediocre at best. You excel in everything else I've taught you. You were twelve when you called your sword, that's impressive."

"Yeah, but I can't do bankai yet."

"Ichigo, bankai is something only achieved after years after training. You will eventually learn it."

"I feel like I could learn it…but…well, we've never attempted it."

"That's because your powers are unusually unbalanced. I am afraid that you might get hurt if you attempt it. Some bankais are very...explosive."

"Yes, since when have your heard of a shinigami dying because of achieving bankai.? And it's not like it would matter much for me, considering I am still alive. I would come back here, just dead."

"Well, right now you aren't alive. You're in your shinigami form. Anyway, that's not something I want to happen, Ichigo. You want to try a different hado?"

"Yeah, something that would actually be useful."

"What would be useful?"

"The hado in the 90s, those ones are pretty cool."

"Those are finicky. Not to mention, half of them are banned and may kill you if you even attempt them."

"They're still cool."

"Are they something that you would really like to learn?"

Ichigo laughed, "I don't think you would teach them."

"Maybe," his brother mused. For some reason, Sosuke sounded different. There was no change in his expression, no difference in the tone of his voice. There was just…something odd. They stared into each other eyes before Ichigo, uncomfortable, looked away.

"Brother, I was joking."

Sosuke frowned, "I know you are. I wouldn't teach you those until you were able to handle the simpler ones. Do you know number 39? Enkosen?"

"39? No..."

"Alright, it's a good defense technique. It will be useful."

Ichigo nodded, readying himself.

* * *

They slept in the fifth division that night. Years ago, when Ichigo had been little, this had been their main living space. Sosuke, who was so busy babysitting and performing his duties as captain, hardly had time to leave the fifth division. It wasn't until Ichigo was older, that Sosuke had even bothered to request the apartment. It was safe enough—the place was covered in many protective barriers. He still worried about Ichigo but even he knew, the boy needed the tiniest bit of time to himself.

The fifth division provided barracks for the members of the squad members and a place for the captains should they want to use it. Most of them did, as they didn't have a home outside of their division. The captain's room was larger than most. It had enough space for two beds, a table, a kitchenette and Sosuke's favorite thing—books. Lots of them. The room, like their house, was spared of any personal decorations; unless you counted Ichigo's drawings that he made when he was a little boy, plastered on the wall above the desk.

Ichigo got into bed and was asleep within minutes of saying goodnight to his brother. Sosuke stayed up a little longer, his mind calculating, planning, contemplating. He looked over at his brother and all he could see was a tuff of orange hair popping out from the blankets. It really was amazing to him what Ichigo was going to become. Not in the same way that Yamamoto was awed. When you got down to it, his brother was an utterly ordinary boy. He was a gifted a shinigami but he wasn't nearly as talented as someone like Gin or even, Urahara. He was just some kid with a high amount of spiritual pressure, and had he not been trained, would have had no idea how to direct that power.

_I still have no idea why you were chosen to be the next king, Ichigo, _Sosuke thought. _But we'll see where that takes you. _

* * *

Author's Notes:

WOW. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter and followed it! I had a hard time with this chapter. I hope it didn't bore you to death…nothing is really happening. Or is did it?! No, don't let my cleverness trick you…nothing. I do have something more exciting planned for the next few chapters..I am slowly getting back into the swing of things. Soon, I'll be able to write a chapter to move the plot forward~ 8D. One thing— just to clarify, no, this will not turn into an Aizen/Ichigo coupling fanfic. I got nothing against those but I want to explore the idea of what would happen if they were family…not lovers…o_o;.** ANY GRAMMAR ISSUES OR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM? I wunna know about it! :)**

Cho~ next update will be not this coming Friday, but the next (I haven't started chapter three yet)


	3. Recollections

**Beta read by DawnieWrites :) **

* * *

**No matter how much suffering you went through, you never wanted to let go of those memories.**

~Haruki Murakami

**Chapter Three**

**Recollections**

"Captain Aizen, are you sure you want to take him in?" Yamamoto asked. A shinigami next to him was holding a small bundle of blankets in their arms. A soft cooing emanated from them and the squad member frowned, unsure of what to do.

"I don't see what the issue is, no one seems to want to take on the task of raising him," Sosuke replied. The Captain-commander gestured to the squad member, who placed the bundle in Sosuke's open arms. Inside was a baby, a little over a year old with soft orange hair and brown eyes. He was wide awake with his eyes wandering around, taking in his new surroundings.

"He has to be protected, watched and trained to fulfill his place in the world. Do you understand?"

"I was under the impression raising a child is somewhat of a difficult task to begin with."

Yamamoto did not take his joke lightly, "I feel that you are indeed one of the better candidates for the job but I just want you to know the gravity of the situation."

"I understand, Captain. He's no ordinary child. I'll keep him safe until he is sixteen."

"His parents," Yamamoto paused. "They named him Ichigo."

"Ichigo, that's an odd name for a boy," he adjusted the child in his arms. The babe suddenly focused on him, looking as if he was trying to memorize every feature on the man's face. Sosuke speculated if Ichigo thought he was going back to his mother and father soon. "I shall keep that name then, in honor of his parents. Aizen Ichigo."

* * *

People said that Aizen Ichigo was an oxymoron. The Soul Society was a place for the dead but he was going to be raised here. Often the topic of curiosity, people made excuses just to catch a glimpse of the child. Sosuke didn't really mind, as it allowed him to relax and focus on something else. Raising a child was a not hard. All Ichigo did was cry when he wanted food or attention. It was just time consuming and an almost tedious task.

"You should let him visit the other divisions, get him used to his surroundings more," the captain of the eighth squad, Kyoraku Shinsui suggested. The man had long brown hair tied in a ponytail and a face that had the look of permanent complacency. He often treated Ichigo to things Sosuke did not allow, like sweets.

Sosuke glanced over at his brother. Ichigo was sitting quiet and content in a large pile of toys, all of them gifts from various members of the divisions. He found this amusing, for it was as if his brother had infinite amount of doting grandparents.

Ichigo met Sosuke's gaze and smiled, starting to stand up on shaking legs. Sosuke watched him, careful to make sure Ichigo didn't hurt himself, "He has started to become more active. He might need to have some more stimulation soon."

"Does he talk yet?"

"No, not really," Ichigo wandered over to his brother. "What do you want?"

Ichigo pointed to the window, saying gibberish neither of understood. "Later, Ichigo. Momo will take you out."

"Just let him run around, what's the harm in that?"

"He's a little too young to be running around by himself. He trips a lot."

"Well, that happens. Kids need to get roughed up a little. It helps them."

"Perhaps, but I would prefer to wait until he's older. For now, he needs to stay where I can keep an eye on him," Ichigo, losing interest, went back to his pile of toys.

"Fair enough, the Captain-Commander is pretty strict about what he can do. He was just telling me the other day, how will he mange when he becomes a teenager. Right now is the easy part."

"Easy? I wouldn't say that," Sosuke took a sip of his tea and nearly choked when he saw Ichigo try and stick a small toy in his mouth. Shinsui, who was closer, leaned over and stanched it out of his hand. Upset and shocked at the loss of his toy, Ichigo started to cry.

"Oops, sorry, didn't think he would cry."

"He'll stop in a little bit. He cries when you take something from him."

Of course, he was right. Within minutes, Ichigo became distracted by another toy and his wails turned into tiny sniffles.

* * *

It had been a long day for the young boy. Ichigo kept rubbing his eyes and staring at his surroundings with a glazed look. He was having a hard time keeping up with his older brother, whose longer strides forced Ichigo to walk quickly. Yet he was determined to do it without Sosuke's help. After all, he was four now! If he could show his brother that he could do it by himself, he wouldn't need to be so protective! He took in deep breath and marched forward. It took only a few minutes before he fell behind again and he stopped, yawning. Sosuke turned around, seeing his brother was a lagging behind.

"Ichigo, are you okay?"

Ichigo blinked and tried to hide his weariness, "Yes!"

"Wow, that's very enthusiastic for this late at night. Are you sure?"

Ichigo nodded but his burst of energy was slowly dying away. It did not take long for him to surrender to his sleepiness. "Sosuke, I'm not okay."

"Oh? But you told me just a few seconds ago you were fine."

"I…I wanted to walk home by myself. I'm a big boy now."

"It's okay to ask for help sometimes," Ichigo felt his brother's arms wrap around him and he was lifted up. He tucked his head onto Sosuke's shoulder, closing his eyes." It has been a long day for you. We'll be at the fifth division soon."

* * *

"Brother! Good morning," greeted Ichigo as he looked over his shoulder.

"Good Morning, Ichigo. Did you have breakfast?"

Ichigo rubbed his eyes and shook his head. Dawn had just barely passed, the sky a dewy blue with gold and pink speckled throughout. Ichigo was always up before Sosuke, no matter what time he slept at. He guessed Ichigo did it so he could have a few moments where someone wasn't breathing down his neck.

Sosuke placed two plates down on the table and filled them with rice. "I have something here. Come inside."

Ichigo turned around and quickly made his way back. With his mind focused so on breakfast, he did not notice the rock that seemed to appear right in front of him. He tripped, face first into the grass. Sosuke, who had not seen what had occurred, called out to Ichigo again. He turned when his brother did not respond and saw Ichigo trying to push himself up.

Without thinking, he rushed over to his brother. Sosuke bent down, gripping Ichigo's sides and hoisting him upwards. He inspected the boy's exposed skin, making sure there were no injuries. Besides his hands being a little scrapped and his forehead covered in dirt, he appeared to be fine. Yet tears were still forming in Ichigo's eyes.

"How did you manage to trip over a rock?"

Ichigo sniffed. He didn't understand why for he wasn't in any pain. It must have been the shock of what had just occurred. Sosuke sighed, gently holding his brother's hands. "Don't worry Ichigo, injuring yourself is just a part of learning. This should teach you to be more careful."

"You're not mad at me?"

"Of course not, accidents happen, just be more careful in the future."

Ichigo nodded, and followed his brother back to the fifth division. They ate together, only speaking when Ichigo asked the occasional question. By the time they were done, other division members began to arrive and the vice-captain came by to report that day's agenda. Ichigo watched with little interest, preferring to stare outside.

"That girl who was assigned to living world three months ago? She'll be coming back today," Momo said.

"Today? I thought that was tomorrow. All right then I have too—"

"Sosuke," Ichigo said.

His brother ignored him, still trying to plan out the day. Ichigo knitted his eyebrows together, "Sosuke."

"Right, after I suppose I'll start—"

"SOSUKE!"

His brother stopped, looking down at Ichigo with a very calm, gentle face. "Ichigo, do not shout when I do not address you. I'll be with you momentarily."

"I wanna go outside."

"Ichigo, you're going to have to wait."

Ichigo huffed, sitting back down with his arms crossed. He might have tried to throw a fit but he knew Sosuke would not tolerate it. When it seemed the business with the vice-captain was almost done, there was a knock on the door.

Sosuke said, "Come in."

Ichimaru Gin appeared. Captain of the third division, Ichigo knew that he was very good friends with his brother. Other than that, the man's ice blue hair, pointed chin and his ever permanent smile gave Ichigo chills down his spine.

"Gin? I did not expect to see this morning."

"Ah, nothing's going on in my division. Thought I would bug you."

"Come in, I'm almost done."

Gin entered the room, his eyes taking in his surroundings. He spotted Ichigo and waved a little. Ichigo glared down at the ground, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Ah, little one, you're here?"

Ichigo remained silent.

"What's wrong? Are you bored?" Gin approached Ichigo.

Ichigo looked up, glaring at the man "I'm just waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"For brother to be done."

"He looks pretty busy."

The man's eyes bored into his and Ichigo looked away again. "I know…I don't wunna talk to you anymore."

"Hm? Why is that?"

"You're creepy," Gin frowned, a little taken aback. He had not been expecting such a direct answer.

"Ichigo!" Momo said before Sosuke could stop her. "How rude of you to say that to a captain!"

"It's fine," Gin said, amused. "I'm creepy?"

"You're weird, you act really weird. I don't like it."

Momo looked like she was about to faint but Sosuke rolled his eyes, "He's just in a bad mood. Momo, would you please take him outside for a little while? I have some business to discuss with Gin."

Ichigo was dragged off, leaving the two captains alone together.

"He's a smart kid," Gin noted.

"What makes you say that?"

"He hates me, he doesn't really know why. He must know I'm no good," Gin laughed.

"You just know how to make people feel uncomfortable. I do admit, he does have his moments, but he's not the most interesting child I have ever come across."

"Hm, maybe."

* * *

"Ah! Ichigo, don't do that! You might hurt yourself." Momo, grabbed Ichigo by his forearm.

"Why? It's fun!" Ichigo smiled, "I love jumping off of rocks!"

"And you tripped over one this morning, remember? Why not just sit here quietly and play?" she said, guiding him back onto the ground.

"I did that all morning with my brother, when I am going to get to have fun?" he whined.

"Well until he is done, Captain Aizen asked me to keep a close watch on you. And you must not do anything to hurt yourself," she put her papers on the bench and looked at him, smiling slightly.

Ichigo lowered his eyelids, "So, what I'm allowed to do?"

"You may sit here, on the bench or walk around where I can see you, just until your brother is done."

He sat down on the ground, his head propped up by his hand. His eyes followed a hell butterfly that whizzed past. The fifth division courtyard was small but it was enough to entertain a young boy. And when he finally got to go outside, Ichigo was being forced to spend it with Hinamori Momo. Ichigo knew she was a nice girl but it was annoying how she followed every single one of his his brother's orders. The second Sosuke was gone, Ichigo was forced to spend his time with another overbearing person. It was like she was his mother. Or older sister.

Still, Ichigo obeyed, looking offended by the world's existence. Momo grasped her hands. She couldn't help but feel bad for the kid. All his life he had been coddled and handled as if he were a glass doll. All he wanted was to have some fun. He should be playing with kids his own age, not being surrounded by adults who did nothing but yelled at him. However, kids were a bit of a rarity within the Seireitei. If only he could go somewhere he could just run around and a chance to have a little freedom. Then an idea popped into her head.

"You know, I go see my friend's grandmother sometimes for lunch," she said. "It's in the first district and she loves kids."

She saw Ichigo turn his head, "Yeah?"

"Well, grandmother would probably love to meet you. Plus, she's in the first part of the Rukongai and it's pretty safe over there. Also, there are lots of kids running around. If your brother says it's okay, I wouldn't mind taking you with me."

Ichigo cocked his head to the side, "Really?"

She nodded, surprised to see Ichigo give her the biggest smile she had ever received from him.

* * *

Ichigo's ninth birthday was a quiet one. It was by no means sad as he got to spend time with his brother. The atmosphere was less confining and their small apartment appeared much more welcoming than usual. Ichigo gripped his brother's gift. It was a book of kido. He knew he wouldn't be learning any of it for a long time but his brother did hound Ichigo to study the theories. With nothing better to do, Ichigo occupied many of his nights to the reading his books. Because of this, he was actually quite a ways ahead of many of the students in his level at the Shino Academy.

Ichigo bit his lip and looked at brother. "Brother, when do I get to start school?"

Sosuke stared at him, "Ichigo, what are you talking about?"

"Well, I just figured lately…I've been studying a lot so….I thought I might be going to school soon."

"The shino academy? Why do you want to go there?"

"Well, I want to learn to be a shinigami, don't I?" Ichigo replied, confused

"And you shall learn, Ichigo, but not at the academy."

"Huh?"

Sosuke patted Ichigo's shoulder, "There is no need to feel sad. I am going to train you myself."

Ichigo stared into his brother's face, "But why?"

His brother smiled, "I've told you before, Ichigo. You're a very special child."

"That doesn't tell me anything!"

"Ichigo—"

"Why? Why am I so special! I don't get to do anything! I only get to follow you or Momo! I don't have any friends! I'm tired of it!" Ichigo stood up and stormed to his room, slamming the door behind him.

That outburst had earned Ichigo a punishment of being confined to the house for two days. He beat his head against the wall, bored and angry. He hated this, just sitting here and doing nothing. There was really no reason for him to complain. He knew he wasn't allowed to have outbursts. His brother always told him that he needed to learn to control his temper. Still, did Sosuke have to go to the extreme?

Ichigo made this point during breakfast the next day.

Sosuke sighed, "Ichigo, stop nagging. You know the consequences of having a temper tantrum. You need learn to be calm."

Ichigo pursed his lips and continued to complain. Sosuke sighed once again. He ignored Ichigo, who didn't stop his ranting until his brother was almost out the door. Annoyed, Ichigo gripped the end of Sosuke's robe and tugged, causing Sosuke to nearly trip.

Ichigo held his breath trying not to laugh. But his smile faltered when he saw Sosuke's terrifying expression. Ichigo was not fast enough to dodge the sharp slap to his forehead. "Quit acting like a child!"

He had rubbed his head, glaring at his brother, "That hurt!"

Sosuke glowered at him, locking the door behind him.

The only reason Ichigo obeyed his brother was because Sosuke made it impossible for him to get out. Ichigo gazed at the front door. It was like he was staring into some twisted analogy of his own life. A door that kept him locked up inside his own home; that kept him from leaving to the outside. He placed his fingertips upon the door. If he could only push it open. Maybe...

* * *

Ichigo woke up and his first thoughts were that he wasn't in his own bed. It took him a moment to remember that Sosuke and he had slept in the fifth division the night before. He got up, staring at Sosuke's bed. All he could see was his brother's back but Ichigo knew he was still asleep. Stretching his arms high above his head, Ichigo went outside to greet the dawn.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So I really wanted to do a series of flashbacks b/c I wanted to show Ichigo growing up in the soul society. I guess I could have made these the first few chapters but to be honest, I didn't want too. The plot isn't really about Ichigo growing up in the soul society. It's certainly a huge part of it but…well…you'll see ;) So every once in a while, I might make a chapter just showing spinets of Ichigo's life. But I promise not to do that if there is a cliff hanger...I am not that mean XD But BONUS! We get to see Aizen act all brotherly, which I think a lot of people seem to really enjoy about the story. So, thank you for reading! **  
**


	4. The Start of the End

**Betaread by DawnieWrites :)**

* * *

**Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey.**

**At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.**

~Vera Nazarian

**Chapter 4**

**The Start of the End**

He saw the last of the day slip behind the horizon. Then he heard his brother calling him from the living room, "Ichigo, inside."

He obeyed his brother. There was something in Sosuke's gentle voice that, even as a child, Ichigo understood the subtle authority it possessed. He may fight against it, be irritated, yell, scream and shout, but it always ended with the same result. Ichigo stirred, lifting himself into a seated position and took in one extra-long breath, taking in the scents around him. After a few seconds, his brother repeated his command. Ichigo rolled his eyes and was going to respond when he stopped. He reminded himself, _What difference will it make if I argue with him?_

Ichigo walked into the house and joined his brother at the dinner table.

"How was your day?"

"It was okay."

"Did anything happen?"

"No."

"Mine was rather interesting. I spoke with the Captain-Commander."

Ichigo hunched his shoulders. Whenever his brother spoke to the Captain-Commander, it always resulted in more restrictions being placed on him. "What did he want?"

Sosuke sipped his tea. "Some business regarding the fifth division, that's all really."

"Oh," Ichigo took a bite of his food.

"But he told me that he would like to speak with you sometime soon."

Ichigo raised his eyebrows, surprised. "What? I don't think I've ever said more than two words to the guy. What does he want?"

"It's nothing to worry about, just a little chat. This shouldn't be too much of a surprise, Ichigo," he placed his cup down. "By the way, your birthday is next week."

"Yup, same time as last year."

"And you'll be how old?"

"Did you seriously forget? I'll be sixteen."

"Sixteen," Sosuke frowned. "It seems only yesterday I was assigned to be your guardian."

"I guess so," Ichigo mumbled.

"Enjoy your last week being fifteen." Sosuke said.

"What's with the sad face, bro? It's not like the world is going to end," Ichigo grumbled.

They finished dinner in silence. Ichigo retired to his bedroom afterwards. Sosuke went into the kitchen. He placed his cup in the sink, rinsing it, his mind focusing on the meeting with Yamamoto that morning. All he had wanted was too reaffirm Ichigo's situation. Even as Sosuke stood there, his fingers becoming wrinkled from the running water, arrangements were being made with the Royal Guards to come take his brother. He dried his hands, taking off his glasses and placing them down onto the table. Ichigo's fate would soon be decided. And Sosuke smiled, for a brief second, looking like the demon he truly was.

* * *

_The night was silent. The air was still. Leaves hung motionless in the trees. A distant howl of a lonely wolf echoed through the empty, vast forest. It was a sad cry, as if it was longing for company in this vacant space. A shadowy figure was crawling on its hands on knees, causing the bushes to shake. It stood up, pushing aside low branches, thick vines, and took extra care not to trip over the large roots that stuck out from the ground. He stopped for a moment. The sounds of rushing water could be heard. Was there a river nearby? He could use a drink of water. No, he had to keep moving._

_He broke away from the protective trees and he stood in the clearing. The motionless world suddenly twisted and turn, colors as bright as bejeweled insects were spinning. The shadow now took the shape of a human boy that clutched onto the sides of his head. He waited for the world to solidify. He bit his lip. And then, as quickly as it had started, it stopped. The small boy lifted his head up. Panicking, he started to run._

_As he ran, the world around him started to crumble beneath his feet, becoming a massive drop-off. The boy's eyes widened when he saw this but he knew he could not stop. He kept running for what seemed like an eternity until finally, he stopped. There, he stood on the edge of a cliff, bits of rock tumbling down as he stared over the edge. The darkness obscured his vision but he could tell that the bottom had to be hundreds of feet below._

_He backed away, fearing for his life, when he felt something touch his back. The boy turned around to see another man. It was someone he knew._

_The boy smiled._

_"Brother," the older man said._

_The boy opened his eyes and tried to speak. No words came out. He touched his throat, unable to understand why he suddenly lost his voice._

_"Why are you here? Are you looking for a way out?" the man questioned._

_The boy could not answer. The man stretched out his hand towards the boy, who was too terrified to move. Fingers squeezed around his neck, causing the boy to cough._

_"There is no way out, Ichigo. You'll be trapped forever…" the man's smile grew. It was the same demonic smile the boy had seen once in his life before._

_Ichigo, hands trembling violently, grabbed his brother's hand, trying to pry them off his neck. He was losing air…he felt his head swelling…his thoughts swirling into one…his death…his freedom…slipping away…soon to be trapped behind a closed a door._

Ichigo's eyes opened. He shot up, gazing around his small room. The first thing he noticed was that it was dawn, the white walls in his bedroom painted with shades of blue and pink. His body was very hot as if he were on fire. He shoved his blankets off and stood up very slowly, his whole body shaking. He scrambled out of bed, slid his bedroom door open, and sat down at the table.

What an absolute nightmare!

Ichigo wiped the sweat from his forehead and gazed around the room. It felt more confined than usual, as if it were being compressed by large invisible hands. The walls, windows and doors seemed to be pulling towards him. He retrieved a glass of water from the sink. Sipping it, Ichigo closed his eyes, forcing himself to relax. He reopened them, and stared at Sosuke's door. Ichigo grimaced.

He tried to keep his spiritual pressure in check. He knew if he became too excited or upset, his brother would wake. Yet, Ichigo could not help but allow his dream to replay in his mind, consuming him with unwanted thoughts.

"Brother was trying to kill me…" he said in disbelief. He repeated the words. They didn't sound right. Over the years, Sosuke and Ichigo had had their disagreements but he was positive that Sosuke would never try to kill him.

Ichigo's back stiffened as he heard someone knock softly on the front door. He turned his head, waiting to see if the visitor knocked again. It was very odd to have people stopping by this early in the morning. Maybe it was one of the captains? After the third knock, Ichigo felt as if he could no longer ignore the guest. He walked towards the door and opened it cautiously. It was…

"Rukia?" Ichigo said, his insides suddenly filling with both delight and surprise.

"Good morning, Ichigo. I'm glad you're among the living."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm here to speak with you, of course."

"Uh, okay," Ichigo replied. "One second." He reached over to a coat hanger and gripped his brother's coat. Pulling it on, he stepped out into the corridor with Rukia, shutting the door quietly behind him.

For a moment, they stood there, staring into each other's faces. She looked as nervous as he was and her eyes were baggy and red, as if she had not gotten enough sleep. Ichigo could only guess this had something to do with her meeting yesterday. Why she would come all the way out here so early in the morning though was beyond him.

"Let's walk," she said

"Uh…sure." Ichigo agreed. Moving was better than just standing here. "Where do you…"

"Just far enough."

"I don't want to wear this thing, hold on," Ichigo went inside again, throwing off his brother's coat unceremoniously on the floor and grabbing his own shinigami garb, his sword fastened to his back. A little cautious voice in the back of his head told him he ought to tell Sosuke where he was going. But then he remembered his nightmare and felt too afraid to speak to him.

Rukia waited for Ichigo, her face solemn as she stared at the sky. When Ichigo shut the front door behind him, the pair set off. The tension between them grew with every step. Rukia wasn't making eye contact with him. Ichigo watched as she fiddled with her thumbs. She was itching to tell him something, but somehow the words just wouldn't leave her mouth.

It was Ichigo who finally broke the ice, "So, how are things in the home of the oh, so wonderful Sixth Captain?"

Rukia smiled, "All right, I guess. I have nothing to complain about. How is everything with you?"

"Nothing is going on," Ichigo rolled his eyes. "My brother was telling me last night to enjoy my last week of being fifteen. How weird is that? Bet he's planning a party or something."

She frowned. "I don't really think that's something he would do," she stopped. "Ichigo..."

Ichigo stopped a few paces ahead. "What did the captain say?"

"Huh?"

"This has something to do with your meeting right? I haven't seen you since last week when you told me about it. What happened?"

"He told me I'm going to the human world," she said.

Ichigo blinked, wondering why this had been such a hard thing for her to say. "That's great! Your brother is finally letting you test your strength? When do you leave?"

"Ichigo, I'm leaving today" she replied. "And I won't be back for six months."

It was Ichigo's turn to fall silent. Rukia…would be gone…for six months? Rukia? Gone? He felt his insides go numb. Six months without her? He tried not to let his distress show. He was happy for her, but at the same time, she was his only friend in the soul society. Six months without the comfort she had given him was more than he could bear.

She sighed. "Ichigo, I was told that Captain-Commander wanted some of the newer recruits to go into the human world for a while—"

"The Captain-Commander wants you to go?" Ichigo interrupted her.

"I guess so. But it's not just me. He had a whole list of people from other squads—"

"How many other people?"

"Quite a few," Rukia said, irritated that Ichigo kept interrupting her. He took note of the change in her tone and kept his mouth shut. "I came here this morning to give you something since I won't be here for your birthday," from her pocket, she pulled out a small blue box, wrapped with a bow. She was blushing slightly because of how her temperament had change so suddenly. "Here."

Ichigo looked down at the box, puzzled. He stretched out his hand for it, reminded suddenly of how his brother had reached out for his neck. Just as his fingers were touching the tips hers, there was a loud shriek. He turned on the spot and annoyance bubbled within him. Momo was standing not too far from the pair, her face in complete panic.

"Ah, geez..." Ichigo grumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't you think it's too early for that?"

"You…you…you...You just ran off without telling your brother anything," she shouted. "He's been worried sick! He got me up and asked me to help him look for you! He thought you might have gotten hurt…or...captured...or killed!"

Rukia and Ichigo stared at each other. "He does realize that I've only been gone for like, ten minutes right?"

"It doesn't matter! You know better than just to run off on your own without telling anyone!"

Ichigo was about to retort when Rukia overrode him. "He wasn't alone, Vice-Captain."

"That's all very fine, Rukia. But Ichigo knows that he's not allowed to just go anywhere he pleases, " she turned her attention back to him. "Come on, we're going back!"

Ichigo's temper boiled over. His nostrils flared as if he were a dragon about to breathe fire. His hands balled into fits and he started to shake out of suppressed rage. All the years of being trapped, all of his brother's expectations of him, all the Soul Society's stupid little rules…they were all building up inside of him. He was so sick of lies, of being trapped, being treated like he was five. He just wanted to beat up the girl who admired his brother so much. He wanted to wipe that silly look of disapproval on her face.

He opened his mouth. Now was the time. He could bellow at the little brat. He could scream and shout all he wanted at her! How badly he wanted to take out all of his pent-up anger on her…

Rukia touched his shoulder and he looked at her. There was a moment, her eyes lingering into his, telling him something that only he could understand. Suddenly, it didn't seem worth yelling at the little brat before him.

"Vice-captain, I wish to come back with you two," Rukia said. "I brought Ichigo therefore I should formally apologize to Captain Aizen for worrying him so much."

Hinamori considered her request then nodded, "Fine."

Together, the three of them set off to back to Ichigo's house. Ichigo was looking down at the ground, his face in its usual scowl. This was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. It wasn't like he had been gone all day, breaking all the rules and tormenting people. He was just walking around with his good friend. Why was that such a crime?

He felt soft skin make contact with his own, and turned his head to find Rukia's fingers wrapped around his arm. He knew this gesture well; whenever he had gotten in trouble, she had done this. It was a gesture of comfort and understanding. Sometimes if he was feeling testy, he would shake her off, but now, he felt he needed her kindness.

Ichigo was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn't realize that he was climbing up the stairs that led to the front door. He also hadn't noticed that Rukia had let go of his arm or that Hinamori was so far ahead of them. Momo made it to the top of the stairs first. Ichigo could hear her voice floating down, sounding very authoritative and overjoyed by her success. On his way up, he saw a little piece of paper on the stairs. For no particular reason, he bent down and pocketed it. Noticing Ichigo had fallen out of step with her, Rukia looked over her shoulder. He smiled at her.

When he finally made it to the top, Sosuke was standing at the door. His attentions immediately fall upon his brother. Sosuke's face didn't appear angry but a flash of fury crossed through his eyes. Ichigo knew that he was in for it but he didn't care. Instead, he glared right back into his brother's intense gaze.

Rukia brushed his side but did not grab his arm. She stood, straight back, with her head held high. "Captain Aizen, I wanted to apologize for taking Ichigo out without your permission. He—"

"It's not your fault at all," Sosuke cut her off, still looking at Ichigo. "It's his. You two are dismissed."

Momo bowed her head in respect before leaving. Rukia, however, hesitated, rooted to the spot, looking at Ichigo. She didn't want to leave her friend behind in such unpredictable conditions. And also, Ichigo knew, she wanted to say good-bye. This might be the last time they would see each other for a very long time. However, the look on Sosuke's face told made her flinch. She gave Ichigo one last smile, before heading down the stairs.

Once she was gone, Ichigo felt Sosuke's hand grip his upper arm as he pulled back into the house. He let go of Ichigo before stating, "You're not to leave the house today."

Ichigo didn't respond.

"I have to go. There is urgent business within my division. I'll deal with your reckless behavior when I get back."

"Reckless? Reckless? All I did was go on a walk with my friend! How is that reckless," Ichigo started. "I'm not a little kid, Sosuke! I'm going to be sixteen!"

Sosuke turned his back on Ichigo, gathering up papers from the table. "You think that these rules have no purpose. You think that I enforce them because I enjoy it. You think, you assume, but you don't understand anything. If I tell you something," his face turned back to Ichigo's, "I expect it to be followed. You are supposed to tell me where you go and what you're doing at all times. "

Ichigo sat down on the chair, his face in his hands. He had nothing to say to his brother. For once in his life, he was glad that his brother was locking him up in his own house. This would give him time to think…

Sosuke left without saying another word to Ichigo, leaving his brother to his own reckless thoughts.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Quick update. Sry about the confusion before, my computer is a silly little beast. Anyway, this was just a redit of the old chapter from the original story. I liked it though so I am putting it into this one. Things are going to pretty much be moving much more quickly…so…yay!


	5. The Start of the End II

**This was beta read by Dawnie Writes :) Thanks a ton for looking over my work. :)**

* * *

**"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."**

~Semisonic

**Chapter 5**

**Start of the End II**

Rukia placed her elbow on the window sill and rested her chin in her hand. She idly stared outside, watching the servants performing various tasks around the house. The Kuchiki House was large, with too many bedrooms and bathrooms to count. She remembered often getting lost when she had first come here. She had felt out of place amidst all of the luxury and grandeur. Now she was a little sad to be going.

What made it worse was leaving her friend, Ichigo, behind in his current situation. She sighed. The poor kid never seemed to be able to catch a break. Even when he was in the thirteenth division, he always got into trouble for the tiniest mistakes. This time, Ichigo had done nothing at all. Rukia solely blamed herself for what had occurred earlier that day. She knew Ichigo was not allowed to go places without permission but in her eagerness to say goodbye to him, she had forgotten. And now it was Ichigo who had to suffer the consequences.

Perhaps it was a little silly to be putting too much emphasis on the situation. After all, this wouldn't be the first time he had gotten into trouble. It was hard to watch someone you care about being repeatedly treated like this. When they had been in the thirteenth division, she always tried to find ways to make him happy. Then when he had been forced to transfer, she was powerless to do anything. The best thing she could do was occasionally visit him.

She closed her eyes, allowing her mind to drift.

_They were laying in the grass just outside the thirteenth division. The day was beautiful, with rolling white clouds and the sky a forgot-me-not-blue. There was a slight breeze that rippled through their clothes. Ichigo folded his hands. She was taking a break from a long training session and Ichigo was done with whatever mindless task the captain had given him. Everything was tranquil until Ichigo asked a very penitent question. _

_"What's the point of dying, Rukia?" _

_"Huh?" _

_"I mean, look at the sky. Does it seem that different from when you lived on earth?"_

_She laughed. "You're so weird, Ichigo. This is the afterlife."_

_She saw Ichigo prop himself up on his elbows. "Think about it. So, you die, your spirit comes back to this world and you live out your life here? Shouldn't you be going to paradise where you don't have to worry about anything?"_

_"I suppose so. But you're not here forever, you get reincarnated back to earth," she sat up. "Don't you find it weird that you're actually alive?"_

_Ichigo knitted his eyebrows together. "Not anymore. I guess I'm just used to it now."_

_"I'm going back to training. You want to come?"_

_"I have nothing else to do."_

_They got up and walked back together to the training grounds where Rukia continued to practice with other members. Ichigo sat down on the grass, his sword sitting on his leg. He yawned, staring as Rukia parried a blow. She stopped when she caught his eye and frowned. "He's so pathetic just sitting there."_

_"Yeah, he is," her partner shrugged. "Nothing unusual for him though. He never participates."_

_"It's not like he doesn't want to. He's not allowed." she glowered._

_"Hey, don't kill the messenger, Rukia. I don't hate the guy, but he doesn't have the best reputation."_

_Rukia turned on her and walked away, stopping in front of Ichigo. He was surprised. "Hello again."_

_Without explanation, she tugged on his arm, forcing up to his feet and dragged him back to the middle of the field. She took out her sword and gave Ichigo a very pointed look. He hesitated for only a fraction of second before smirking. It was the only match Rukia had ever had with Ichigo. In terms of swordplay, Ichigo could have easily overpowered her. However, he tried to restrain himself and to everyone's surprise, she won. She had a feeling Ichigo had done this on purpose and she never let him live it down; especially since after that, Rukia had gotten into trouble with the captains for allowing Ichigo to do something so dangerous._

"Rukia?" she was brought back to reality by her brother's voice. She turned her face, to see he was standing in the doorframe. He regarded her with his usual cold demeanor.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Are you ready?"

"Um, I guess so."

He nodded. "I was told you were going to be assigned to Karakura town."

"Oh."

"You'll be going there soon. I have work to finish so I came by to say goodbye."

Rukia raised her eyebrows in surprise. "O-oh! Well, goodbye!"

There was an awkward pause where he didn't say anything. He decided that inclining his head to the side and leaving her was a good enough farewell. He left Rukia sitting there, confused and baffled by his behavior.

* * *

Sosuke had come home that day, exhausted from his work in the fifth division. He still had enough energy to lecture Ichigo about what happened that morning. Ichigo sat at the dining room table, passive and not listening to a word of his brother's ranting. When Sosuke paused, Ichigo had asked in a quiet voice if he could be excused. Sosuke rolled his eyes and granted his brother's request.

That had been three hours ago. Ichigo was now in his bedroom, his mind floating in a state between consciousness and the edge of falling asleep. He kept tossing and turning. There were points where he thought he could fall asleep, but it never happened. Becoming increasingly frustrated, he finally sat up and threw his pillow across the room. Grumbling, he huffed, placing his hands on his knees and scanning his room. It was no good. He wasn't going to fall asleep at this rate.

Still ever stubborn, he lay back down and closed his eyes. Nope, this wasn't happening. And what was more, it didn't help that his thoughts turned to Rukia. He was angry that she had gone to the human world and left him here. He took in deep breaths, trying to relax his budding temper. _It's not her fault_, he thought. _You're just upset that she's gone, that's all. I'm just pissed Rukia's leaving was not something I thought was going to happen…it's not her fault. You can't be mad at her. _

Six months. That was a blink of an eye to a shinigami but for Ichigo, his concept of time was slow. The days never seem to go fast enough. Seconds were like hours to him. Sitting all day in a house by himself, trapped and alone, time became maddening. Rukia was someone who had made it bearable.

She knew him better than anyone here, and helped him deal with the pressure he felt from the Soul Society. She didn't care if she had to break the rules to do it and wanted to make sure he was happy. The fact was, she cared about Ichigo as a person and brought him comfort. He wasn't a fragile doll around her. He was human. With her gone, he didn't know what he was going to do.

He was probably going to go insane.

* * *

Sosuke sat down on the porch. He had been very hard on Ichigo when he had come back home. In reality, Sosuke had no opinion about what had taken place. He is merely playing out the part of Ichigo's protective older brother. If he had dismissed Ichigo's actions like he did two weeks ago, it would have been very foolish. With Ichigo's birthday so near, it was vital to keep him more protected than ever before. Had Sosuke allowed Ichigo to have a free pass, it might seem out of character for his persona. Not that anyone ever paid attention to his actions, but it was still something he was cautious of. It would do him no good if someone became even slightly suspicious. He stared out over the buildings, thinking over what was going to happen over the next few days.

Starting tomorrow, Ichigo was going to be told what exactly his role in the world was. Yamamoto had insisted they take it slow in order not overexert his brother's emotional state with too much information. Sosuke had to bite his tongue to stop himself from laughing. It was comical how the Captain-Commander treated Ichigo. Next they were going to be blowing on his brother's meals if they were too hot.

Sosuke thought that it would be interesting to see how the situation unfolded. He wondered how Ichigo would react. The boy had grown up in such a controlled environment that he might collapse with the ground-shattering news. Or maybe he might surprise Sosuke and be able to handle such information without faltering. Of course, Ichigo did little to surprise Sosuke. The boy was very predictable and his personality was not very hard to figure out. Anyone with common sense could see it.

Ichigo was someone who was not very flexible and, even if he didn't show it, he was also slightly paranoid about change, a trait brought on by how many times he was reprimanded as a child. This was what made him be obedient to his brother and the captains. Yet, he was also rebellious. Sosuke considered this a side-effect of his brother's upbringing. He was sick of the way he was being treated and wanted to live his life his own way. Breaking the rules was his way of expressing this desire. Sosuke thought had Ichigo continued to be sheltered, he eventually give up and become docile.

He gazed down at the buildings, a memory flashing through his mind.

_They were walking outside, on their usual route back home. Ichigo was a few paces behind his brother, his sword strapped over his shoulder and scowling. The nighttime sky twinkled high above his head, sending small glittering lights in their wake. Ichigo had stopped, staring up at the sky, his expression softening. _

_Sosuke stopped, and saw his brother was transfixed by the heavens above. He sighed, approaching Ichigo and gripped his shoulder. "Ichigo, let's go home."_

_Ichigo was taken aback, as if just realizing he had been traveling with his brother this entire time. "Sorry, I guess I spaced out."_

_"Children often do that." Sosuke mused._

_Ichigo peeled his mind back to reality, catching up to Sosuke. "Hey, I am not a kid!"_

_"I suppose not but you still act like one in some ways."_

_"Oh yeah? Like how?"_

_"You were gazing up at the sky and let your mind wonder. Adults don't often do that."_

_"Your point?"_

_"Children have the time to do these sorts of things."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"There is a difference between children and adults. An adult has the power in the world to make their thoughts a reality, while children can only fantasize. And that's all they should have to do. Childhood is supposed to be carefree and adults are the ones who make it so."_

_Ichigo was silent, letting his brother's words sink in. "So do you always just have some dramatic speech prepared when you talk to people?"_

_Sosuke smiled, eyebrows raised. "It's just how I've always thought."_

_"You make it sound so easy but it's not as simple." Ichigo grunted._

_"Oh? Explain yourself."_

_Ichigo become hesitant. "I-I don't know."_

_"Do you not wish to tell me?" Sosuke sighed. "I suppose that is to be expected. After all, you haven't had a particularly normal childhood."_

_"I know."_

_"I hope one day to make amends for that, Ichigo."_

_Ichigo gave no response but stared at Sosuke with that same lingering, longing desire etched into his face._

Sosuke squinted, the muscles in his forehead tightening as he lowered his eyebrows. That look on Ichigo's face was one of those moments in his life he could remember very vividly. It wasn't something he could explain, it was just one of those memories that become cemented into his psyche. He gazed out over the buildings, contemplating what he was going to do in the coming events. For now, all he had to do was continue his role as chigo's guardian, because what happened next would be as equally important to him as they were too his brother—assuming everything went according to plan.

* * *

The next morning was its usual affair. Ichigo got up at dawn and later met his brother for breakfast. He had not slept at all; a fact his brother picked up on very quickly during breakfast. The boy was exhausted, giving slow, grumpy answers and had huge, black bags under his eyes.

"The Captain-Commander will be seeing you today," Sosuke said. "Are you going to be falling asleep halfway through your meeting with him?"

Ichigo was suddenly more alert. "That's today?"

"I told you he wanted to see you. There's nothing to be worried about."

"Yeah there is. What does he want to say to me?"

Sosuke breathed, giving his brother a very odd expression. He seemed confused and a little nervous about what he should say. "I'll tell you when we get to the first division."

"Does it matter when you tell me?" Ichigo yawned.

"According to the Captain-Commander, it does."

Ichigo finished his food in silence. His was too tired to process what he had just been told. A few minutes later, he asked. "Human or shinigami form?"

"You can go in your human form. It doesn't matter."

"I won't have my sword as a human."

"That's fine."

Ichigo got ready and the two left the house. If he had been more aware of his situation, Ichigo might have actually been curious about why the Captain-Commander wanted to see him. Right now, he didn't really care all too much. It was only when the two brothers were approaching the first division building did Ichigo start becoming much more aware of what was going on.

Sosuke stopped and gazed down at Ichigo, very serious. "Ichigo, listen to me. The next few days are going to be very taxing for you. I want you to remember that no matter what you are told, if you have any questions, you can always ask me."

"What's going on?"

"Remember when you were a child, you asked me why you were brought to the Soul Society?"

"I guess so?"

"Starting today, everything is going to be explained too you."

To say Ichigo's expression was one of shock was an understatement. He stared at his brother, wide-eyed, his brain trying to digest what he had just been told. He tried to open his mouth to speak but he was given no time to respond when two first division members approached the pair.

"Good morning, Captain Aizen." One of them said, smiling.

Sosuke repeated the greeting and there was a short conversation Ichigo didn't bother listening too. He was brought back to realty when his brother spoke. "If you're ready, you can go with these two."

Ichigo stared between them and his brother. He wanted to ask for a more definite answer. This was all happening so fast. Without really thinking, he nodded. Before he could formulate his thoughts, he felt a hand on his shoulder and was being led towards the building. Sosuke followed suit.

Ichigo had never stepped foot inside the place and it became apparent it was grander than anything in the Soul Society. The entrance hall had tall, arched ceilings with the finest maple wood covering the floors and huge windows that brought in the natural light. Ichigo didn't get much of a glimpse of the rest of the division as he was brought to the Captain-Commander office. He stood in front of the oak doors and felt his brother standing behind him.

"Are you coming in?" Ichigo asked.

Sosuke shook his head. "I'll be here when you come out."

Ichigo nodded. "I still don't get what's going on."

"You will." Ichigo frowned before entering into the office.

The room was simple and plain compared the rest of the building. Captain Yamamoto was sitting in an armchair, situated right next to a small table and another empty chair. Ichigo stood up straighter. Nerves pricked at his skin. Yamamoto may appear old with his long gray beard, aged face and deep, drawling voice but his presence alone demanded you dismiss all that you saw. This was not someone you wanted to mess with.

"Aizen Ichigo, it's been a long time since I've spoken to you," he stated, regarding Ichigo as if his endearing grandchild. He gestured to the empty chair. "Sit, please."

Ichigo did so, trying to act cool and casual. "I don't remember ever actually speaking to you."

"I have spoken to your brother many times about you," he shrugged. "Tea?"

"Uh, sure," he said. "Please."

"Just like Sosuke, hold on," he told to one of the members to get them tea. The member bowed and left. There was a moment of awkward silence. "How are you, Ichigo?"

"Tired," Ichigo stated.

The Captain-Commander laughed. Ichigo didn't think he was capable of such a gesture and relaxed a little. Their tea was placed on the table between them and Yamamoto and Ichigo expressed their gratitude. There was another pause.

Taking a sip, Ichigo eyed the captain. "So, can I ask you what you wanted to tell me?"

Yamamoto had not touched his own cup. "There is no easy way to start something like this," he stated, his voice strong and clear. "I'll be very direct. In five days, you'll no longer be a resident of the Soul Society."

"Huh?"

"In other words, you're going to be leaving this world."

Ichigo nearly spit out his tea. "What?"

"Ichigo, I am sure you've questioned your existence many times in your life. We didn't want to tell you those answers until you were sixteen. Even though I am still unsure if you're ready for such information, I am going to tell you this. In four days, you'll be sent to the Royal Palace to complete your training."

He sat in his seat, stunned. He gripped the edges of his seat, too fatigued to move, too numb to think. The Royal Palace? He was going to leave the Soul Society to go to the Royal Palace? Ichigo had heard very few stories of the place but all he knew was as much as anyone else did. It was where the zero guard and royal family lived. What did this have to do with him?

"W-what?" it was the first word Ichigo was able to blurt out.

"The zero division will be coming to escort you to meet the king."

"I heard that! But...but w-why? Why do I have to meet the king? What does this have to do with me?"

"The reason why will be revealed to you when you get there, Ichigo. For now, I have been instructed to tell you this. You have been special from the moment you were born. The captains knew your destiny and we knew we had to protect you. You are going to reshape the world, Ichigo."

Ichigo was too stunned to speak for a moment. He put face into his hand. This was all too much to take in. "I…I…need…to step outside."

"Of course." Ichigo stepped out of the office. He shut the doors behind him, his back leaning against the door. He was suddenly very awake and hyper-sensitive to all that was going on around him. Words jumbled through his head. The royal guard? He was leaving the Soul Society? King? Density? What the hell was going on?

"Ichigo?" he saw his brother approaching him. "Are you okay?"

"Sosuke," Ichigo shook his head, trying to gather himself. "I-I…"

"I told you, Ichigo, this was going to be a lot to take in."

"He said the captains knew…did you know?"

Sosuke frowned, "Yes. I did."

"Why…why didn't you tell me?"

"Ichigo, there's more to the story," he examined his brother's face. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm shocked," Ichigo admitted.

"All right, I think that's enough for today then. I'll tell the Captain-Commander I'm taking you home."

"Huh? Wait! I have more questions!"

"Ones I told you can ask me. But this is a lot to take in. We want to reveal everything to you slowly, so you're not overwhelmed with all this information. This is enough for today."

"Wait, wait, what? You're not going to tell me anything else today? Why? You can't just tell me that and then not…not—"

"See what I mean? Anything more and you'll have a nervous break-down."

"Brother, I—"

"Be quiet, I'll be back in a little bit."

* * *

Hours later, Ichigo had not gotten over the shock of the day's events. Not surprising, considering what he had just been told. It was if he was in a sort of daze. Stuck between reality and trying to process what was happening. He found himself having shortness of breath and feeling jittery. Rukia, and now this? When had his life gone from having nothing happen to having too much? Sosuke was very patient with his brother, trying to console him and help him understand what was going on.

"Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"It was a very delicate situation, Ichigo. We didn't want to tempt you with information you might not be ready for."

"So, you just go ahead and keep me in the dark? Why?"

"I just told you why."

"Why am I going to the royal palace?"

"You'll know in four days, Ichigo."

"I'm I going to become a royal guard? That doesn't make a lot sense. Is this why I was being so overprotected my entire life? Sosuke! Just tell me all ready!" Ichigo almost shouted. He was tired of his brother's passive nature. His distress was turning into frustration and anger. They knew about this his whole life and they didn't have the courtesy to tell him why?

"It's not my place to say what your destiny is, Ichigo."

"Sosuke—"

"I know you're frustrated. When you came to us, we were told to make sure you stayed alive until you were sixteen."

Ichigo was trembling. "So, you guys just thought it was better to keep a secret? Maybe if I had some idea what was going on…I wouldn't have been…so…so…"

Sosuke looked downcast, his hands turning into tight fists. "Ichigo, I am sorry. The Captain-Commander thought it was better for you to grow up without such knowledge."

"What?"

"It was the majority consensus."

"That's bullshit."

"I didn't think it was a good idea. I knew going into this you would not have an easy life. I thought giving you the burden would have been better. This way, you would have at least understood why we were doing this to you and…"

"And what?"

"I thought maybe you would have had a somewhat of a normal life. Ichigo, I am sorry."

Ichigo's heart suddenly swelled his brother's words. His questions stopped forming and fragmented. He didn't really want to know anything else today. His emotions were all over the place right now. All he could think of doing now was try to recuperate, "I'm going to go to bed."

"All right."

Ichigo stood up, but before he left, he questioned, "What about Rukia? Did she know about all of this?"

"No one but the captains knew what was going to happen."

"She left today for the human world. I won't get to see her when she comes back, will I?"

Sosuke gave him a lingering look, very similar to one Ichigo had given him all those years ago. "These are your last days in the Soul Society. Please enjoy them while you can."

* * *

**Author's Note: **

Hey guys, I am sorry about the wait with this chapter. I took it down originally b/c of spelling corrects and I didn't like how the chapter turned out. I recently got a beta reader (DawnieWrites) so I wanted to focus on fixing the first four chapters of this story. I won't be able to update for awhile as I am on vacation with my family until August 8th. I'll be updating post-haste after that! Thank you so much for your patience!


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